Search any of these sites by title, author, and/or ISBN to see if the vendor has a copy. Many students who have completed or dropped a class will list their used textbooks on these sites. The prices are often significantly lower.Once you locate a copy on a used book site, here are six tips:

1. Be careful to read the seller’s product description. Descriptions can range from “new” (pristine condition) to “acceptable” (dinged up, written in, or heavily highlighted) with a lot of gray in between. Be sure that you are comfortable with the textbook’s condition.

(e.g., “Used - Like New - Comments: Bought the book new, it has sat on my desk for two weeks. Never been touched.” Or “Description: Acceptable. Shows definite wear, and perhaps considerable marking on inside.”)

2. Watch edition numbers. Make certain that you are buying the correct edition…probably the latest.

(e.g., Sweet & Maxwell, 1996, 4Rev Ed.)

3. Stay away from any listed as “Advance Reading Copy” or “Uncorrected Proof.” These are not final versions of the text.

4. Be aware of seller ratings. If a seller has been rated positively by a lot of customers, they are most likely an excellent source.

5. Note shipping options. Depending on how quickly you need a textbook, some sellers offer expedited shipping. In most instances, the vendors also indicate the state or country from which the seller will ship the book.

(e.g., “Shipped within the US in 4-7 days (expedited) or about 10-14 days (standard).”)

6. Know that you can contact any of the above vendors if you experience a problem with a seller. Just familiarize yourself with the process on the vendor website.

(e.g., Amazon.com’s “A-to-Z Guarantee” or the “Customer Service” links on Abebooks or Alibris.)

Looking to spend a little less on your textbooks for next semester? Remember that you have some excellent online options. I have only touched on a few.